Cutbacks I hate!

[sfaaa]

Some people are clueless what For Profit business means.

[SAILPRO]

Perhaps, the buzz word should be "changes" and not "cutbacks" by NCL - actually, it's been done to all the mass lines over the years - relative to prices paid, still a "best buy" for my bucks.

Been to Vegas lately & if you had to pay for those dinner buffet or even the prices in the 24 hours cafe/diner - oh, the good old 80's and early 90's with those breakfast specials, any time of the day or night. No cutbacks, prices just kept going up and the comp's scaled back - players noticed them for sure, but many kept going ... maybe to the ones closer to their "home" these days.

Never impressed with NCL's lobster tails - spoiled by what we can get here at home, I confess. Yes, we do "noticed" changes: baby shrimp cocktails, the "Cooking Light" daily specials (remember them ...) and the WH Presidential choices ... the creme brulee and souffle once served in the MDR. And, of course, chilled soup gone from the MDR to the buffet only ... Next month, going to get my fixes of escargots - Carnival substituted them due to high prices - at dinner time & right at this moment, good old Chicken Pot Pie would be nice enough :D The grass isn't greener on the other side.

Life is a beach, be happy and smile - look at the bigger picture, many of us are the fortunate ones.

 

Well said mking8288!

 

Have anyone been to Disney World lately, $100+ per single day admission (they just raise the price). And this doesn't include food, pool, beaches at ports, and etc like on a cruise. :rolleyes:

 

Cruising is still the best value, so far. :D

[sfaaa]

 

Cruising is still the best value, so far. :D

 

With or without lobster in MDR and hassle free. Just get on board and enjoy.

[sparks1093]

Clearly just some of the dozens of cutbacks. NCL's continuous attempt to save a nickel here and a dime there. Sensible people see it, cheerleaders, not so much. Or at least they refuse to admit they see it.

 

If they are trying to save money by taking a brownie sundae off the menu then they are in deeper trouble than anyone could imagine:rolleyes:. (And while you try to use cheerleader as an insult I fail to see it that way- I want NCL to be successful so I may continue to sail with them for years and I expect to see many changes in those years, some good, some bad, some meh.)

[weltek]

I also miss the good cheese in the buffet during the day (was some ok, but boring cheese at night). We'd always grab some to have with wine during the day when it used to be available.

 

No cheese with wine while staring at the ocean makes me sad.

[Kingofthesailaway]

I don't so much miss lobster night but I do miss lobster being a part of the Land and Sea combo at Teppanyaki. I prefer it to the shrimp.

[quercus alba]

I'm sure I'm in a minority here, but the lack of the singing waiters is one of my favorite aspects of the NCL cruises.

 

With you! Please spare me this (except for the occasional "Happy Birthday"s and "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"s for OTHER people!) :o

[quercus alba]

So you are all saying that every NCL ship has gotten rid of the "Brownie Sundae" ??? OMG, I'm going to have 3 very disappointed kids in August when on the Getaway. Must say they were my nightly favorite also!!!!!!! Oh well, just have to get something else! hmmmmmmmmmmm what will it be?

 

My kids did just fine with unlimited access to both soft serve and scooped ice cream flavors in the buffet. And as been pointed out elsewhere, there are often brownies and cookies close by...Build Your Own Brownie/Banana/Chocolate Chip/Strawberry/Pineapple Sundae every day!:D

[sfaaa]

Try Karaoke night. May be you will find the singing waiters there. NCL now has talent shows performed by reg ship crews (not the NCL pro performers). Blew me away how good some of F&B and housekeeping staff can sing and dance.

[NLH Arizona]

All the things that people say they miss so much, are available on other lines. If one doesn't suit you, another one certainly will. But keep in mind, that all the other lines' customers are complaining about their cutbacks and/or changes as well.

[kcfoxy]

 

(Deep sigh). Be calm and carry on :p

Edited February 24, 2015 by kcfoxy

[funat55]

I just hope they don't cut the eggs from the eggs benedict.

[Tammy296]

I like this topic because as a first time NCL cruiser it makes me see what the changes have been over time which I would not know.

 

We had a topic like this concerning Walt Disney World changes on their forums and let me tell you -- MAJOR changes in the Dining Plan since '07. Really stewed a lot of peoples roosts and then we stopped going a year ago as they continued to jump prices on top of cutbacks and crappy changes. We started cruising then!

 

If there's no spinach and artichoke dip or lobster or brownie sundaes that's sad especially for the money you pay but it hasn't deterred me yet. Hopefully the rest of the cruise and the FOOD is good or I won't be coming back to NCL!

 

Food is definitely something to cruise for...I mean what the heck else are you supposed to do in the middle of an ocean for 7 days besides visit the ports and drink???

 

Any other changes? :eek:

[mrobstad]

Ok, if food is a high priority, then buy the UDP. Then, you won't be disappointed. All of the restaurants are great, but IMHO, La Cucina is like a glorified Olive Garden. With the UDP, you can have multiple shrimp cocktails at Cagneys along with steak and lobster. At LeBistro, rack of lamb and the best cream of mushroom soup you'll ever eat. Check it out!

[Eriksgarden]

My husband says these are CHANGES; not CUTBACKS, and everyone is just petty. Then I say, "Like the chocolates on the pillows we used to get from Royal Caribbean?" His response, "Now THAT was a cutback!!!"

[L-in-CLT]

Lighten up, Francis. It's just a whimsical saying. :rolleyes:

 

 

LOL. Great movie reference!

[Fergus29]

I have to say that we have noticed a lot of changes over the years too. On our first cruise we had a notepad and pen on the table next to the bed. That was soon gone, along with the champagne and canapés on boarding, fantastic shrimp cocktails in the Garden Buffet, Lobster nights, and, most importantly, the midnight chocoholic buffet with the fantastic chocolate and ice carvings :o

 

I don't mind those things, I know that the cruise lines have to make a profit, and are going to make cuts to things that may seem frivolous and wasteful to them. But they affect us as cruisers, especially if we are repeat customers looking to enjoy the experiences that we have had previously again and again :(

 

However, on our most recent cruises they had made a cutback that I thought was just plain cheap. For our latitudes party in the past there have been wonderful canapés, and as many free drinks as you liked. But the dreaded cutback knife has struck there, and the waiters walked around with platters loaded with cubes of cheese staked onto toothpicks as the offering :eek: And we were "encouraged" to only take one at a time :rolleyes:

 

Not a particularly positive way to treat people who have obviously spent a lot of time and money to cruise with them. Good thing the free drinks helped take my mind off it :p;)

Edited February 28, 2015 by Fergus29

[newmexicoNita]

Well, maybe I just don't let things bother me that much: I am sure there are plenty of things available so a few missing ones are not going to make me cry.. We are not room service people: what is or isn't on the menu means nothing to us. We get it only if one of us is just not feeling well or there are circumstances that make it inconvenient to head for another place to eat. Lord knows there are so many choices we don't need to have room service.

 

No canapes during latitude parties; so what? how many have gone to frequent guest parties on other lines: NCL has, by far the best. Yes, the little snacks were nice, but again not a deal breaker. I really don't think they were all that great anyway, just pretty.

 

As long as there is enough food for all, it is satisfactory, we have dining choices, nice clean cabins and good entertainment let's all be happy we are able to cruise and stop this: I am so sad, whiney attitude.

 

Nita

Edited February 28, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[mrobstad]

I have learned, from this thread, CC is not the forum to say you like or dislike anything, because there will always be people who will condemn you, belittle your opinions, and twist your words. It's ok to disagree, but never ok to turn a disagreement into a personal attack.

[cruizinwithkids]

I have learned, from this thread, CC is not the forum to say you like or dislike anything, because there will always be people who will condemn you, belittle your opinions, and twist your words. It's ok to disagree, but never ok to turn a disagreement into a personal attack.

 

I've always been offended by the people who make cheerleader comments. I consider myself to be a NCL cheerleader but I think this thread is amazing with NCL cheerleaders. I love the NCL product and I believe NCL has done a good job keep prices low but there have definitely been cut backs.

 

I have been cruising for a long time but the friend who I have most recently been cruising with has only been since the Sky in 2009. I know that's the year the cut back the latitudes amenities for the shorter cruises. I don't remember if it was that cruise or his first cruise 7 day cruise. As we got on-board we were offered the glass of champagne. I think they also had orange juice and maybe soda. I don't remember, but now every time we get on-board he says, jokingly, "Where's the champagne?" He's not a drinker at all but I really thought that was a classy welcome on-board and I do miss it. It wasn't even offered for that long. Maybe started in 2007 as part of Freestyle 2.0 LOL

 

I am booked to cruise with a first time cruiser in October and I just think of much I would love her to be welcomed on-board with a glass of champagne.

[KeithJenner]

I've always been offended by the people who make cheerleader comments. I consider myself to be a NCL cheerleader but I think this thread is amazing with NCL cheerleaders. I love the NCL product and I believe NCL has done a good job keep prices low but there have definitely been cut backs.

 

 

I'm certainly not offended by cheerleader comments. They say far more about the people saying it than they do about the targets.

 

I would certainly not suggest that NCL haven't made any cutbacks. I think that is fairly obvious. However, the cutbacks that they have made don't affect me much (if at all), which is what I contributed to the thread to say.

 

The fact that my experience is different to the OPs doesn't make one of us any more sensible than the other, or one of us a cheerleader. We just differ in what we require from a holiday. There is no right or wrong.

 

Overall, I think that the majority of contributions have been quite civilised, with only a couple of more unpleasant remarks (and not just from those who are disagreeing with the OP).

[cruizinwithkids]

I miss the table side food preparation by the maître d' in the main dining room.

 

I do think the term hate is a bit strong. Maybe cutbacks I miss would have received more interesting responses, because you're right, I don't hate them. I guess I sort of love them because if they weren't made I couldn't afford to cruise.

Edited February 28, 2015 by cruizinwithkids

[sverigecruiser]

 

However, on our most recent cruises they had made a cutback that I thought was just plain cheap. For our latitudes party in the past there have been wonderful canapés, and as many free drinks as you liked. But the dreaded cutback knife has struck there, and the waiters walked around with platters loaded with cubes of cheese staked onto toothpicks as the offering :eek: And we were "encouraged" to only take one at a time :rolleyes:

 

Not a particularly positive way to treat people who have obviously spent a lot of time and money to cruise with them. Good thing the free drinks helped take my mind off it :p;)

 

I was on the Breakaway recently and they were very generous with the canepés. I'm sure that they have given us a whole tray if we had wanted to! Lots of drinks too!

[david_sobe]

My first world problem:

 

No more huge fuzzy suite towels. Suite guests get the same blue towel :eek:

[shealea]

I've always thought it was kind of funny that it seems to be something special to have a mint on your pillow. Woo Hoo!, I think!!!!! What is the big deal??

 

But some people really get a kick out of it, I guess! ha!

 

But then the towel animals...... my dh told me to tell our lovely lady room steward that she didn't need to take her time and make us towel animals. He felt bad that she had to do that as hard as she works.

 

WHAT??????? No towel animal???? That was my reply... Are you crazy?? That is me.... I love opening my door to a towel animal in the evening!!!

 

So everyone has their things on a cruise that they get a kick out of ...... And things that they could do without and not be upset!!!

 

I don't miss the chocolate buffet ..... I love the made to order crepes. I miss the creme brulee in the MD. I miss the brownie sundaes. Loved those things!!! But I'm just ecstatic on a cruise, so there aren't any cutbacks that have spoiled my time.